I said I wasn't going to be frustrated if the scale didn't move for this months weigh-in - but I am. The numbers have not moved.

I am just so frustrated and don't exactly know what to do. There is a part of me that just wants to go have a big cry and throw in the towel and say this is too much work and it's not fair that I'm not losing weight. I guess I want to have a pity party or something.

I'm tracking my food daily, basically just doing calorie counting. Average per day is 1800 calories. Split averages about 40/30/30 (carb, protein, fat). The only added fat is occasional olive oil or salad dressing. The only alcohol I have is a glass or 2 of wine a maximum of twice a week. I've basically cut out all starch except 1 cup of special K in the morning and vita-weat crackers.

I weigh 115 kg / 253 pounds.
I'm 48, 5'5"

I work out 5 days out of 7. Two days I do an hour of lap swimming, three days I do interval cardio between treadmill, elliptical and bike, three days I do 30 minutes of strength training, 3-4 days I do 30-45 minutes of yoga. I've switched from 60 minutes of average cardio to 30 minutes of intense interval in the last 2 weeks. My exercise calories amount to about 400-500 per day.

I suppose I need to consider dropping my calories but I find when I drop to 1600 per day I get so hungry and compulsive feeling. Or, do I change the way I'm eating totally? I so want my way of eating to be sustainable not a 'diet'.

The other curve ball is that I leave for vacation in a week, going back to visit family and that always sends me into a tailspin of eating in and of itself.

Sorry this is so down. I'm just feeling very frustrated right now and needed to share with someone.

Sorry your so frustrated. Have you taken any measurements maybe thats where your loss is for the month. Don't throw in the towel just yet, tweak a few thingas and see what happens. Good luck!

Well, you're right in thinking your calories may have to go down. But that doesn't mean you have to be hungry!

Maybe you could post a sample day's menu for us? Sometimes if we're eating foods that aren't high in protein and fiber, we don't feel as full as we could eating the same number of calories. With a sample day or two, I'm sure you'd get some suggestions.

Other than that, just hang in there My weight loss stalled for SIX MONTHS. It was brutal and annoying and yes, at times I wanted to throw my scale against the wall. But you eventually break through it. So keep going!

Kris, I understand! I have lost 6 lbs in the last 6 months. Most of that time, I claim to have been a dieting angel! It's so very very frustrating! As of Monday, I have tweaked my diet yet again, and I've committed to this new tweak for a least a month.

We can't give up though. We can get past this and start losing again, we just have to find the right combination of calories and exercise.

Hey!
I just wanted to chime in and say that no weight loss in scale increments can be frustrating. I am in the same spot right now and while it was stalled due to my decisive disinterest in exercise for the span of 3 months...I'm enraged as to why the pounds aren't melting away now that I'm back to my cardio.

Still...we have to remember when the scale is not our friend that it's all about better health and the bigger picture and in the long run...the weight will come off!

My best to you!

I too have been plateaued for months at a time before & just recently broke through a plateau & started losing again. It's hard - no doubt about it. Through it I just kept telling myself I had to have faith that doing the right things would eventually bring the results - & it did.

I would agree that you may need to bring your calories down but that definitely doesn't need to mean you should be hungry. Are you spreading out your calories throughout the day? Eating lots of little meals? Make sure you always have protein with every meal/snack - it helps keep you full. You may want to up the amount of protein you are having overall.

Good luck - just have faith - it will come.

I'm just going to echo what's already been said. It sounds as if it just may be time to bring those calories down a bit. If you eat very filling foods, protein, water, and fiber filled, 1600 calories is really quite a bit. I kept on taking my calories down, switched foods around and found ways to stretch my calories even further and avoid being hungry. It's possible.

You just need to play around a little bit, experiment. You can and WILL get past this.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your support and encouragement. I had a bit of a cry on the way to the gym today and got most of my frustration out of my system - at least for now.

I did take my measurements, and although there aren't huge changes, there were some. One inch off my bust, 1 & 1/2 off my waist, 1/2 off the hips, 1 off the thighs. Plus, in going through my day, three people (2 who I only know casually at the gym) commented that I was certainly losing weight. I really needed to hear that today.

OK. It might prove difficult (as I'm going on a 3 week holiday starting Wednesday) but I am willing to try to decrease my caloric intake to 1600 average per day. Part of me was thinking to stop all tracking for a month but I'm afraid if I do that plus being on holiday around family it will just snowball into a huge foodfest.

I can do this. I am not going to throw in the towel. I am not giving up.

Thanks for being here everyone.

KEEP GOING....
one of my biggest regrets is giving up when im in a plateau. its soooooo soooo difficult, because u are doing everything right, and then bam, for no reason nothing.
One thing i got told when i was in a plateau is that my body had finally got used to the exercise, the food, and new way i was living my life. it no longer shook my metabolism into loosing. Changing what you eat, or how you exercise may just help. or if you are really brave (and really determined) you could do a detox week/fortnight.
That always wakes up the metabolism, but its a huge commitment, and if your emotionally annoyed , then really decreasing your food, may make you feel alot worse.

anyway these are just ideas, you have to do what comfortable for you in your diet. Just stay strong, and look at how much you have lost already. would be a shame to give up now :-)

I agree with freethetoys and others--it would be a shame to give up now! Don't even think about not tracking your foods--that way lies madness!

I'm glad you're feeling better after the gym and the compliments!

1600 cals a day is quite do-able. Yes, you can expect to feel hungry sometimes--that just goes with the weight-losing territory. But you can space out your meals and snacks to help offset that. I have something to eat every 2-3 hours, so it's like meal-snack-meal-snack-meal. I often have a snack in the evening as well, but I try not to do that too late.

Good luck! You can do this!

Jay

True, you may be hungry at times at 1600 calories, but then again, you may not. I consume less calories then that and am truly hardly ever hungry. I eat all day long. Really. Every 2 - 2 1/2 hours or so. And IF I do get hungry, well then, I eat. But not much. Your body WILL adjust.

I know it seems a hard pill to swallow, but it IS doable and again you most certainly WILL adjust. You're making a commitment to change your life for the better. It's "thee" most worth it thing in the world and you will NEVER regret doing it. Not for a teeny, tiny second. If you didn't do it, well then, I don't think you could say that.

I'm having the same issues. I've been working out at a new gym for the last month and thought for sure that the weight would start falling off. NO, it hasn't!! I am losing a little and I know my body is changing.

Like Robin and others said, you might need to lower those calories and up the protein and fiber. That is also what I'm doing. I'm also switching my lunch and dinner around. I have found that if I eat my biggest meal at noon and then graze eat at night I do much better with the scales. I did that last night and was down this morning.

Just don't give in to frustration. You can do this!!

Rockin Robin, could you please give us just a one day sample of how you eat..I can't imagine eating every 2 hours and not going over the calorie limit. Thanks!!

Mods and admins are not supposed to give you menu plans here. But, tell ya what--I am going to list a *hypothetical sample day* that shows how to do this. THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION. I am not a nutritionist or doctor. You should consult your own health care providers for information on individual diet.

Breakfast: 2 cups coffee with Coffee Mate Lite; 1/3 cup Mona's Granola, 1/2 cup 1% milk, 1/2 of a medium banana. cals 294

Snack: 1 string cheese, light; 6 baby carrots. cals 73

Lunch: Lean Cuisine, chicken of some sort; bowl of salad w/Newman's low-cal Balsamic dressing. cals 240

Snack: 2 oz. of water packed tuna w/6 Triscuits. cals 146

Dinner: Lean Cuisine, beef of some sort; 3 oz. green beans w/1 teaspoon olive oil, tossed. cals 306

Snack: Popcorn, natural light; 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds. cals 160

Vitamins: 10 cals

Total calories: 1,229

Now I'm sure that you can see that there's room for more food (and cals) here and there. Why, it could have gone up to 1400 cals with no trouble, by adding more fruit or more milk products.

Jay

"Mods and admins are not supposed to give you menu plans here." Seriously? Why not? Does it express diet bias, or something like that, when it's a mere suggestion?

goincrazy - I know it's hard to feel like you are hungry all the time. I often feel hungry, too, if I'm in losing mode, but like Robin said, your body will adjust. Your mind also has to adjust to a different way of eating: smaller portions, but more frequently. It's difficult to adjust to smaller portions, considering most people are accustomed to eating big ones, but eventually, you will get used to it and maybe even start to like it.

You can also switch up your exercise routine a little bit and see if that helps. Or, you can do more while keeping your calories the same or a little lower.